![Decree of the Written [Law]](https://cdn.hebrewexpressions.com/storage/expressions/dNtnt9lJnnEZxVExwhKO0nd7nYSSvpCY6mJXxSsV.jpg?w=800&h=500&q=85)
Decree of the Written [Law]
A written instruction explicitly stated in the Torah and whose deeper meaning cannot always be analyzed. By analogy: an instruction that cannot be changed.
("It is lawful for a daughter to be qualified as a rebellious son and a teacher,... but it is the decree of the Written [Law]: a son and not a daughter" - Sanhedrin 78b, and likewise: "Whoever says in supplications: 'Whoever had mercy on a bird's nest... may He have mercy on us', and similar matters, they incapacitate him, because these commandments are decrees of the Written [Law] and are not merciful" - Maimonides, Book of Love, Laws of Prayer and Priestly Blessing, chapter nine, 7,195)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב
Definition (Hebrew)
הוֹרָאָה הַכְּתוּבָה בְּצוּרָה מְפֹרֶשֶׁת בַּתּוֹרָה וְשֶׁלֹּא תָּמִיד נִתָּן לָרֶדֶת לְעֹמֶק מַשְׁמָעוּתָהּ. בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: הוֹרָאָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתָּן לְשַׁנּוֹת.
("בְּדִין הוּא שֶׁתְּהֵא בַּת רְאוּיָה לִהְיוֹת כְּבֵן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה, ...אֶלָּא גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא: בֵּן וְלֹא בַּת"- סַנְהֶדְרִין סֵט ע"ב, וְכֵן:"כָּל הָאוֹמֵר בְּתַחֲנוּנִים:"מִי שֶׁרִחֵם עַל קַן צִפּוֹר...יְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ", וְכַיּוֹצֵא בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, מְשַׁתְּקִין אוֹתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּצְווֹת אֵלּוּ גְּזֵרַת כָּתוּב הֵן וְאֵינָן רַחֲמִים"- הָרַמְבָּ"ם/ סֵפֶר אַהֲבָה,הִלְכוֹת תְּפִלָּה וּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים,פֶּרֶק תְּשִׁיעִי,ז,195)